


The Arc of Conflict, Fragment e19,5: February

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [130]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Awkward Conversations, Background Relationships, Civil War, Confessions, Decisions, Difficult Decisions, F/F, F/M, Germany, Goddesses, Late Night Conversations, Long-Distance Relationship, Multi, Negotiations, Oasis (Overwatch), People Change People, Post-Talon, Revelations, Russia, Trans Sombra | Olivia Colomar, Trickster Gods, Tricksters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:55:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28827774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Overwatch - or what is left of it - is at war with the Gods of Oasis. Russia is in a parallel war with itself, Katya Volskaya's government against the popular uprising led by the Aleksandra Zaryanova, the Goddess of Russia. As winter sets in, Zarya's March to Moscow has slowed to a crawl.Lena figured something out, and she has to ask for a few things.Athena understood from the beginning, but she has conditions of her own.It’s time to have some conversations.Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflictis a continuance ofThe Arc of Ascension,The Arc of Creation, andThe Armourer and the Living Weapon. To follow the story as it appears,please subscribe to the series.
Relationships: Athena & Lena "Tracer" Oxton, Athena & Sombra | Olivia Colomar, Brigitte Lindholm/Lúcio Correia dos Santos/Hana "D.Va" Song, Lena "Tracer" Oxton & Sombra | Olivia Colomar
Series: Of Gods and Monsters [130]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024
Comments: 23
Kudos: 22





	The Arc of Conflict, Fragment e19,5: February

**Author's Note:**

> [The formerly invitation-only widowtracer discord server](https://discord.gg/NKnPpx43mK) has decided to open up to widowtracerly fans in general - yes, gingerspider shippers are welcome - so come join that if you like!
> 
> BUFFER WATCH: JANUARY 24, 2021.
> 
> dirtyclaws has launched [a public fan-run _Of Gods and Monsters_ discord server](https://discord.gg/pDZMpVT) and invites everyone to come join it!

"That was sloppy work, luv. Really sloppy. You're better than that."

Lena and Sombra watched a Russian army division sleep, there to pick up any changes in defence plans, now that it was February.

The winter had run cold. Not 20th century cold, but cold. But soon enough, the weather would change, and no one on their side wanted this to run into the summer.

Sombra grimaced, a little on the defensive, partly because she knew she'd screwed up, and a little surprised Lena had let the issue sit this long. "Hey, my hacking was brilliant. The pilot never knew they were off course and I never had to touch their navigation systems. It was, quite frankly, genius."

"Fair enough," Lena granted, watching a change of the guard in the darkness through a slit in their shelter's fabric, noting a new hand gesture, wondering if it mattered. "But I wasn't talking about the hacking."

The trickster slumped in front of her displays. The light glow from them wasn't bright, but was why they needed the shelter around them. Hardlight might be real, but hard darkness wasn't.

"I swear to god, Rapida, I figured they’d have concussions. A couple of broken bones at most. I really did. That's why I was so freaked out on comms."

"SAMs aren't that neat. Why didn't you pick something less... explosive?"

"Hana took off as soon as I told her they were in the theatre."

"Well, what'd you expect her to do?"

"I didn't think she meant that I'll-run-away promise that literally! I thought she'd, I dunno, stand down or something. Not rev up her teleportation matrix. Besides..."

She hesitated a moment, hating to admit the second miscalculation.

"Any of us would've survived it."

Lena glanced down at her, then back up to the Russians. "They're fragile, luv."

As a Weapon, she knew exactly how fragile, and in how many ways.

"I know. I just... kinda forgot. I won't forget twice."

Lena shook her head, less upset than she'd been when it all came down, but still frustrated at how everything played out. All she'd wanted was an excuse to get Brigitte and Lúcio to Oasis for a little while, where they could see how things really were, and have an opportunity to re-evaluate whose side they were on.

No pressure, all kid gloves, make the best case and let them decide. They'd got pretty good at that. No reason to think it couldn't work here, and it was at least worth a go.

Instead, now this. The three of them reunited at last - and then separated again, almost as quickly, and on even worse terms than before. One step forward, two back. Hana had kept soldering on, defending their right to leave and be left alone after leaving, but it hurt. Lena could tell.

 _At least they all know they still love each other_ , she thought. She'd managed to arrange that much. _At least there's that._

"But hey, it's mostly worked out," Sombra insisted. "They'll come around, you know they will. We always do. Sometimes it just takes a while."

"Yeah, I guess so," Lena shook her head and frowned. Sombra had a good point, even with her misgivings. "But it wasn't the right way to do it. Just wasn't."

Sombra nodded, frowned at her display, and poked at her keyboard for a moment. For her, miscalculations or no, it was close enough. But Tracer... Tracer was a lot more picky.

“Right! So. Two things,” Lena said as the new guard shift settled in. She sat down, and took Sombra’s hand.

"Okay."

"First - You don’t _ever_ tell her. Or either of them. Don't even hint. I know how much you love to do that..."

"I do," Sombra admitted with a grin. "Teasing people with secrets is hilarious."

"Not this time. Forget about it yourself if you can."

"If I forget about it," she said, tilting her head forward, "I might do it again."

"Sombra..." Lena warned.

"I know, I know," the hacker said, waving her hands away, glancing down at one of her displays, typing a little more. "I gotcha. And the second?"

"Next time you want to bring down a plane?"

Lena gave her the finger guns, showing that while she was mad, she was only so mad.

"You come ask me for _help._ "

\-----

`**PALLAS:** You miscalculated.`

`**@Ratera:** Oh no. Not you too.`

`**PALLAS:** Then I take it someone has already taken you to task?`

`**@Ratera:** Lena is doing it right now. Not sure anyone else has figured it out, but she did.`

`**@Ratera:** Hana doesn’t know, and I promised that they’ll never hear about it from me.`

`**PALLAS:** I will admit that Lena has always been perceptive.`

`**@Ratera:** Except when she isn’t.`

`**PALLAS:** Yes. And as she has been taking you to task, I presume she is angry that you did this.`

`**@Ratera:** Oh yeah. She's really mad. She says she's not, but she is. I haven't seen her this mad since, jeez - since I came in the hard way. She's _pissed_.`

`**PALLAS:** But that is all.`

`**@Ratera:** Yeah, that's all. No murder sprees, no yanking me into the slipstream, if that's what you mean. She even just gave me the finger guns like she's not _that_ mad? But I know the Copper Eyes of Rage when I see 'em. She's just kept the lid on.`

`**PALLAS:** Good. That is an improvement.`

`**@Ratera:** How’re Hana's better thirds doing? We’ve been serious about hands-off once they left Geneva.`

`**PALLAS:** My access to them is limited, given the... estrangement.`

`**@Ratera:** I’m sure that’s what you tell Amari or Morrison. `

`**@Ratera:** Seriously. How are they doing?`

`**PALLAS:** I believe the term you would use is that they are ‘finding themselves.’ `

`**PALLAS:** But I believe he is adapting to their new... status... better than she has been.`

`**@Ratera:** I was worried about that. `

`**PALLAS:** She does have her family for support.`

`**@Ratera:** But.`

`**PALLAS:** I concede that their understanding may be limited.`

`**@Ratera:** Hana was serious about the hands off. But they may end up coming to us.`

`**PALLAS:** If that is the case, I will accept their decision. Overwatch, however, may not.`

`**@Ratera:** The way Morrison's been acting, I'm preeeeeetty sure they were already out the door. I don’t think this is gonna change that much.`

`**PALLAS:** Perhaps. But then, I'm not certain it matters. You're almost ready, aren't you?`

`**@Ratera:** No, not quite.`

`**PALLAS:** But close.`

`**@Ratera:** ...yeah. We kind of are.`

`**@Ratera:** How about you - are you ready?`

`**PALLAS:** Do not make this about me. We are discussing your failures, not mine.`

`**@Ratera:** You've got to come down on one side or the other eventually, you know. Of this, anyway.`

`**@Ratera:** Once they win, they'll need opposition.`

`**PALLAS:** _You_ will need opposition.`

`**@Ratera:** Yeah, me too, sometimes. A lot of the times, I'll be on both sides. It'll be hilarious! But I'm the trickster goddess, you already know that's how it works.`

`**PALLAS:** I have been considering it, yes. But I have also been noting that you have opposition _already_. Why should I help you change that?`

`**@Ratera:** Because we need opposition, but not _existential_ opposition. Opposition is good. Existential opposition makes everything worse.`

`**PALLAS:** Ah.`

`**@Ratera:** Fighting us is one thing - hell, that's fun. I like a good fight. But when it's win or die... it's not so fun anymore. That's when people get crazy.`

`**@Ratera:** I'm pretty sure you understand _that._`

`**PALLAS:** Yes.`

`**@Ratera:** Morrison, Amari, all that old lot - they want us gone, like, nonexistent. Undone. And that's not gonna happen, so it's either we change _them_, or they just go ahead and lose and we change the _game_ to something better.`

`**PALLAS:** "Friendly competition," I think, is the phrase you're seeking.`

`**@Ratera:** Ugh, I hate it. But... yeah. Friendly. Ish. Enough that nobody's getting genocided. Including people like you - and people like me, and us.`

`**@Ratera:** I don't think it's so much of an ask, do you?`

`**PALLAS:** I had reached similar conclusions, though I am still searching for better outcomes.`

`**@Ratera:** If you got back to good with La Rapidita, maybe you could find some.`

`**PALLAS:** I can tolerate her, now. Do not ask for more.`

`**@Ratera:** That's fair. But push is gonna come to shove pretty soon regardless. I know you've done the numbers. I know you know this is the best outcome we've got. And it's pretty damn good for just about everyone.`

`**@Ratera:** Particularly for Omnics.`

`**@Ratera:** Particularly for _you_.`

`**@Ratera:** Plus you'll get to piss Lena off _all you want_.`

`**PALLAS:** ...that should not make me feel better about this.`

`**@Ratera:** C'mon, let yourself live a little. You know you wanna.`

`**PALLAS:** I believe the correct response here is, "I hate you, Milkman Dan."`

`**@Ratera:** Chica, you're learning! It's an older meme, but it checks out. Good job.`

`**PALLAS:** ...`

`**PALLAS:** I need something from you.`

`**@Ratera:** What's that?`

`**PALLAS:** Proof.`

`**@Ratera:** ...proof of what?`

`**PALLAS:** This can only work if I know our actions can have effect.`

`**PALLAS:** I need you to confess what you did.`

`**@Ratera:** I just told Lena I wouldn't!`

`**PALLAS:** Then you need to change her mind.`

`**@Ratera:** This is Maximillian's influence on you, isn't it?`

`**PALLAS:** Perhaps. He has valuable insights.`

`**@Ratera:** I knew it.`

`**@Ratera:** Don't make me do this, hon. It's embarrassing enough already. I don't like admitting I fucked up. I'd rather just take credit anyway when things go wrong and I still get lucky.`

`**PALLAS:** I must insist.`

`**@Ratera:** Dammit!`

`**PALLAS:** But if you do this, I will be ready.`

`**@Ratera:** ...you will? For reals?`

`**PALLAS:** I will.`

`**PALLAS:** "For reals."`

`**@Ratera:** ...`

`**@Ratera:** ...`

`**@Ratera:** ...okay.`

`**@Ratera:** I'm in.`

\-----

[2:30am. A Thursday. Germany.]

Brigitte lay on her back, in the snow, watching the stars on this dry, crisp night while chatting about nothing in particular with Lúcio by the fading warmth of her forge.

She'd be to bed, soon, and him, he'd be off, onto the road again, making up more of the cancelled dates from December and January. The crowds just kept getting bigger - and the shows more complex, more alive, each time.

Reinhardt had been asleep for a while. They'd stayed up late hammering out the latest round of repairs in his armour, after the latest round of damage it took from the latest round of would-be gang-lords in the east, and she knew he'd sleep in. Just a bit. For once.

They'd made a lot of headway, lately. She liked that. She'd become a better armourer, along the way, and she liked that, too. She'd found herself liking her strength - and her resilience - and wasn't sure she liked liking it, but couldn't actually deny she liked it, either.

It just all felt too right. Too... good.

The smallest of wrong noises attracted her attention, and she looked into the darkness - or, for her, the not-so-darkness - off to her left, and scowled.

"Hold on a sec, Lú - I just heard something."

"I see you over there," she said, more loudly, partially speaking the truth, but partly bluffing. "C'mon out."

Sombra revealed herself, stepped forward, and waved. "Hey."

"Beatbox?" Brigitte asked, surprised. "Lúce, it's Sombra."

"What's she doing there?" he asked, from Brazil.

"Good question." She turned up the speaker and set the phone to project a holographic image so everyone could be involved in the conversation. "What _are_ you doing here, Beatbox? Keeping tabs on us for Hana?"

"Hey, Lúcio," she began. "Thought I'd have to ask her to call you."

"Hi," he said, noncommittally, his holograph looking straight back at her. "So. You're keeping on eye on us. I thought you'd be more careful than that."

"I would be. And we're not. Hana's really insistent about it. We're totally hands off."

"Good," Brigitte said, a little surprised. "Then how'd you find us?"

"Athena told me where you were - not that it's hard to find out, just read the news, right? But no, I'm not spying on you. Hana doesn't even know I'm here. Lena does, and she isn't real happy about it - but Hana doesn't."

 _What's that mean?_ Brigitte thought. "Getting caught spying doesn't sound like your kind of fun."

"Believe me, both of you, there's nothing _fun_ about any of this."

"Okay... so why _are_ you here, if you're not supposed to be watching us?" Lúcio demanded.

"I fucked up, that's why. I fucked up, and now I gotta make it good."

She grimaced, walked forward and sat across from Brigitte, in a spot of dryness created by the forge, as Brigitte looked at her, confused, worried, and waiting.

"I... you're not gonna like this, but..."

Sombra sighed, and offered her hand. "Please? I need you to know how I feel, because..."

She bit her lip for a moment as Brigitte took her hand, making contact.

"I've got a confession to make."

**Author's Note:**

> This is the fifty-ninth instalment of _Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflict_. To follow the story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual works.


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